Sick
by GrittyRe-boot
Summary: AU: "I wish I knew what to do, how to help you" he says, his own voice breaking as he sweeps his thumb over her trembling lips, "I don't even know how to help myself most of the time. But I'll tell you this much Sally, even if I can't always be what you need, I will always be right here."


**So I'm sure whatever following I've managed to amass over the past four years has a bit of a bone to pick with me right now, here I am coming out of retirement for one last job (maybe) and it's not a glee story. Say what you want about glee, but it is about the best show to draw fanfic inspiration from, probably why it quickly became the most popular show on this website, however, upon discovering Being Human in one long marathoning weekend and becoming almost unhealthily obsessed with it, it would have been difficult for me not to get at least a flicker of an idea from it, and since I'm taking some time off from work for some (temporary) medical reasons, I figured there was no better time than now. I hope some of the readers I've attracted in the glee fandom are fans of Being Human US as well, but if not, it's great to officially join another fanfic family, I really hope you guys enjoy my entirely AU take on this show, and just a warning, this story deals with some very adult and potentially disturbing themes, including drug use and references to domestic violence and sexual abuse, it's not for kids, basically.**

"What do we know about this girl?" Aidan asks, rubbing his tired eyes as he sits heavily at the breakfast table, he didn't sleep much last night, perhaps the anxiety over bringing yet another new person into their inner circle was a bit more than he was prepared to deal with, he was just getting used to Nora after all, but he supposes they could use the extra money, so he keeps quiet for the most part.

"Her name is Sally Malik, She and Nora met a few weeks ago in group," Josh explains.

"A few weeks?" Aidan asks incredulously. "Well that's comforting."

"It'll be fine," Josh assures him, but Aidan can't help but notice that he looks a little skittish himself. If it weren't for the fact that Josh trusts Nora more than anyone chances are he'd be even more hesitant about the whole thing.

"She's great, I promise you guys will love her," Nora says, entering the dining room with a reassuring smile on her face.

"I don't know, I mean I trust your judgment and everything, but, you know... considering where you met."

"_Aidan_," Josh says with a bit of a warning in his voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nora adds, narrowing her eyes at Aidan a bit angrily.

"Nora, you know I love you like a sister," Aidan says not entirely quelling Nora's palpable anger at his comment. "And I don't judge you for anything you've been through."

"Just my friends, right?" Nora shoots back.

"I didn't mean it that way," Aidan sighs.

"He didn't babe," Josh says reaching for his annoyed girlfriend's hand. "Remember what they taught you in group, you're not going to get better if you take every opportunity to fly off the handle."

"I am not flying off the handle!" Nora exclaims. "And you Aidan," she says, snapping once again in the direction of her boyfriend's roommate. "You're one to talk, it's not like you don't have your share of demons."

At her words Aidan cowers a little in his seat, subtly pulling his sleeve down over his arm, he knows that they can still see the evidence of his none too savory past written on his skin, they don't judge him for it except for when it's convenient, like now.

"Nora, I'm sorry," Aidan says under his breath. "I'm sure this Sally person is just as nice and normal as you say."

She smiles a little half smile then, her anger clearly dissolving. "Well, you're right about the nice part," she says, taking a seat across from him. And he raises his eyebrows a little at her comment.

"Okay, I'll admit that she's got a past but we all do right? That's why we lean on each other," Nora says. "That's what Sally needs right now, someone to lean on. Besides, she deserves to be here, she has a history with this place."

"Wait a minute," Josh cuts in, his voice a little frantic. "_Malik_? That's Indian right?"

"You seem awfully paranoid about that, geez Josh, racist much?" Aidan says jokingly.

"The guy who sold us this place, it's his daughter isn't it?" Josh asks Nora. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it was a big deal." Nora says, shrugging.

"Not a big deal? Nora, she tried to burn this place down."

"Wait, seriously?" Aidan says, the sudden look of fear on his face mimicking Josh's, he remembers the story, he didn't think much of it at the time, and he didn't know all of the details, just what the neighbors knew really, that the place was condemned for years after the owner's prepubescent daughter torched it in a fit of rage.

"Hold on," Nora says defensively. "First of all, that was over ten years ago, second of all, they never even proved that she did it, third of all, what happened to not being judgmental?"

"I'm not being judgmental, I'm being cautious," Aidan says. "What if she tries to finish the job?"

"She's not like that," Nora says. "She's trying to get better, just like me, just like all of us, she just needs help, I think we can give her that."

Before Josh or Aidan can protest further the doorbell rings, making Aidan jump a little, he really should have gotten more sleep last night, god knows he won't be getting any tonight.

"That's her," Nora says. "Be nice."

They follow behind her hesitantly as she makes her way toward the door, and all Aidan can do is take a deep breath before she opens the door. And at once the breath he's sucked in is immediately taken by the sight of the girl standing on their porch.

"Sally, hi," Norah says going to hug her.

"Hi," She says sweetly, as Nora breaks the hug. "I'm Sally." Aidan takes her hand first, still at a loss for words, because he had no idea. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, maybe someone a bit more damaged looking, but he knows from years of support groups and NA meetings that the pain that so many keep inside doesn't always show on the outside, it must have been how a girl who was once in enough pain to attempt to burn her house to the ground could be so damned beautiful. Long, dark hair, skin like honey, a smile that would ensure that they'd never have to pay another light bill again. He hated being such a guy sometimes, one look at the beautiful stranger on his porch and all he can say is.

"I'm Aidan, welcome home."

**I hope you all know what's going on here. Stay tuned folks!**


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